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1 COMMENT Choice of Law: Defining the Place of Performance for General Contract Disputes in Oklahoma I. Introduction Choice of law is one component of the broader doctrine of conflict of laws 1 and provides a framework for determining which jurisdiction s laws and public policy should govern a cause of action when the action has significant connections with more than one jurisdiction. 2 Dean Prosser likened the topic of choice of law to a dismal swamp because of the complexity of its subject matter and the incomprehensible jargon employed by the scholars who write on it. 3 This comment attempts to wade through the mire and present the subject of Oklahoma s contractual choice-of-law rules in a comprehensible manner. Unfortunately, the topic cannot be discussed without some reference to the jargon that permeates the case law and commentary. Oklahoma s choice-of-law jurisprudence is no clearing within the puzzling jungle that comprises the choice-of-law subject. In Oklahoma, different choice-of-law theories are applied to tort suits than are applied in contract actions. 4 While the former embraces a more modern interest-analysis approach, the latter relies on an older, territorial-based standard. 5 Oklahoma s contractual choice-of-law jurisprudence is grounded on a statutory directive from title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes which provides: A contract is to be interpreted according to the law and usage of the place where it is to be performed, or, if it does not indicate a place of performance, according to the law and usage of the place where it is made. 6 The primary purpose of this comment is to develop a standard for determining which place of performance should govern a contract when the parties have not selected their own choice of law and the contract indicates multiple places of performance. Initially, this question seems as if it should have been resolved by several different courts many times over; however, such is not the case. Incidental to this thesis is an examination of Oklahoma s 1. Russell J. Weintraub, COMMENTARY ON THE CONFLICT OF LAWS 1.1 (5th ed. 2006). The larger doctrine of conflict of laws also examines in which jurisdiction a suit can be brought and the effect of a foreign judgment. See id. 2. See 16 AM. JUR. 2D Conflict of Laws 1 (1998). 3. William L. Prosser, Interstate Publication, 51 MICH. L. REV. 959, 971 (1953). 4. Bernal v. Charter Cnty. Mut. Ins. Co., 2009 OK 28, 12, 209 P.3d 309, See Weintraub, supra note 1, 3.1, at OKLA. STAT. 162 (2001). 17

2 18 OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 64:17 choice-of-law rules accompanied by critical commentary that will hopefully assist both judges and practioners in understanding what the rules are and what they are not. Part II of this comment surveys Oklahoma s choice-of-law cases in order to explain the current choice-of-law rules and identify questions left unanswered by Oklahoma courts. Part III conducts a brief analysis of how other jurisdictions with statutes identical to section 162 interpret the provision s language. Part IV resolves the thesis of this comment and presents an argument for why section 162 should be understood to contemplate multiple places of performance. Part IV then formulates this per-obligation approach whereby each obligation in a contract, and the matters relating to it, are governed by the law of the place where that obligation is to be performed. This comment concludes in Part V. II. Oklahoma Case Law As a general matter, there are two categories of choice-of-law theories. The first is the old, territorial approach in which the law of the place where some event occurred or will occur governs the dispute. 7 For contract disputes, the most common application of these theories yields the rule that the nature, validity and interpretation of a contract are governed by the law of the place where the contract was made. 8 This rule is called lex loci contractus, which means the place of the contract, and which can refer to either the place where the contract is executed or the place where the contract is performed. 9 This dual-use of the term has led to some confusion; 10 however, the phrase is easier to understand if it is thought of as the conclusion of an inquiry rather than as its initiation. The second category is comprised of various theories that are often referred to as issue or functional analysis standards. 11 Application of these standards requires inquiry into the underlying policies of the conflicting laws to determine which jurisdiction has the greatest interest in its law governing the dispute at bar. 12 The most significant relationship test from the Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws (1971) is a member of this school. 7. See Weintraub, supra note 1, 3.1, at See Bohannan v. Allstate Ins. Co., 1991 OK 64, 17, 820 P.2d 787, 793; see also, e.g., C.I.T. Corp. v. Guy, 195 S.E. 659, 661 (Va. 1938). 9. BLACK S LAW DICTIONARY 995 (9th ed. 2009); see also Kenneth R. Webster, Note, Contractual Obligations, Conflicts of Law Symposium, 18 OKLA. L. REV. 385, 387 (1965). 10. See Sec. Trust & Savs. Bank v. Gleichmann, 150 P. 908, 911 (Okla. 1915) (per curiam). 11. See Weintraub, supra note 1, 3.1, at See id.

3 2011] COMMENT 19 Title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes belongs to the territorial category of choice-of-law theory because the law that governs a dispute is determined by a geographical location either the place of performance or the place of making. However, section 162 does not fit neatly into the lex loci contractus framework as that rule is commonly understood. The lex loci contractus rule, stated above, requires the place of making to control all matters regarding the nature, validity, and interpretation of a contract, while section 162 emphasizes that the law of the place of performance should govern. Nevertheless, at least some Oklahoma courts understand section 162 to be a statutory embodiment of the lex loci contractus rule. 13 However, this is not a universally accepted position. 14 The discrepancy seems to depend on whether the term lex loci contractus is understood in its dual sense as defined by Black s Law Dictionary or as meaning the choice-of-law rule articulated above. This comment approaches section 162 without any opinion on the correct definition or scope of Latin terminology. Rather, the language of the statute is taken at face value. Therefore, if a contract expressly or implicitly indicates a place of performance, then the contract should be governed by the laws of that place. If no indication is made, then, and only then, should the place where the contract was made control. Whether this approach is consistent with the larger body of case law from other jurisdictions utilizing the lex loci contractus rule is not resolved here. The purpose of this comment is to make clear that title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes mandates that the law of the place where the contract is to be performed controls the contract unless there is no indication in the agreement of a place of performance. The universe of contractual choice-of-law jurisprudence in Oklahoma can be distilled into three categories a general rule and two exceptions. Title 15, section 162 provides the general rule: A contract is to be interpreted according to the law and usage of the place where it is to be performed, or, if it does not indicate a place of performance, according to the law and usage of the place where it is made. 15 While this rule controls the majority of Oklahoma s contractual choice-of-law disputes, there are two recognized exceptions. 13. See Bohannan, 24, 820 P.2d at 795 (stating that section 162 is the statutory source of the lex loci contractus rule); see also id. 17, 820 P.2d at 793 (stating the lex loci contractus rule as the nature, validity and interpretation of a contract is governed by the law where the contract is made ). 14. See Panama Processes v. Cities Serv. Co., 1990 OK 66, 26, 796 P.2d 276, 287 ( Section 162 is not a declaration of the rule of lex loci contractus. ) OKLA. STAT. 162 (2001).

4 20 OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 64:17 The first exception was initially acknowledged by an Oklahoma court in Collins Radio Co. v. Bell and involves contracts for the sale of goods under Article II of the Uniform Commercial Code. 16 The second exception was established by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in Bohannan v. Allstate Insurance Co. and applies to motor vehicle insurance contracts. 17 For simplicity, these two exceptions will be referred to as the UCC exception and the Bohannan exception, respectively. 18 These exceptions allow for the utilization of the most significant relationship test from the Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws (1971) in determining which law will govern the contract. 19 The most significant relationship test is not applicable to contract disputes within the purview of the general statute, 20 although it may be applied in limited contexts, such as determining whether a contract s choice-of-law provision is enforceable. 21 Oklahoma courts will recognize the parties selection of a particular state s law to control the agreement, whether explicit 22 or implicit, 23 as long as the 16. See 1980 OK CIV APP 57, 14, 623 P.2d 1039, 1045, cited with approval in Bohannan, 24, 820 P.2d at 795; see also Ysbrand v. DaimlerChrysler Corp., 2003 OK 17, 12, 81 P.3d 618, 625. Oklahoma s codification of the U.C.C. Article 2 is found at 12A OKLA. STAT et seq. 17. See Bohannan, 30, 820 P.2d at This comment focuses on the general rule; therefore, a detailed analysis of the U.C.C. and Bohannan exceptions is not undertaken here, although Bohannan is lightly discussed in Part II.A.4, infra. See Vicki Lawrence MacDougall, Choice of Law Under the Code, 8 OKLA. PRAC., PRODUCT LIABILITY LAW 4:7 (2009 ed.), for a more detailed explanation of Oklahoma s choice-of-law rules under the Uniform Commercial Code. 19. See Bohannan, 30, 820 P.2d at 797 ( The validity, interpretation, application and effect of the provisions of a motor vehicle insurance contract should be determined in accordance with the laws of the state in which the contract was made, unless those provisions are contrary to the public policy of Oklahoma, or unless the facts demonstrate that another jurisdiction has the most significant relationship with the subject matter and the parties. ) (emphasis added); Ysbrand, 12, 81 P.3d at 625 ( The most significant relationship test applies to an action for breach of warranty in a sale of goods under Article 2 of the UCC. ). 20. See Harvell v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 2006 OK 24, 14, 164 P.3d 1028, (holding that the general rule applies unless the contract falls into either the UCC or Bohannan exceptions). But see Panama Processes v. Cities Serv. Co., 1990 OK 66, 9-30, 796 P.2d 276, (applying the most significant relationship test as a secondary method of analysis to reach the same conclusion as was reached applying title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes); MacDougall, supra note 18, 4:7 (stating that there is doctrinal support for practitioners to argue the most significant relationship approach in ordinary contract cases). 21. See Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. v. Shear, 1990 OK 67, 7, 796 P.2d 296, See, e.g., Carmack v. Chem. Bank N.Y. Trust Co., 1975 OK 77, 536 P.2d 897; see also Webster, supra note 9, at See Atchison, T. & S. F. Ry. Co. v. Smith, 1913 OK 162, 16, 132 P. 494, 497 (applying the law of Oklahoma to an agreement entered into in Kansas because there was a

5 2011] COMMENT 21 selected law is not contrary to Oklahoma s established public policy. 24 Additionally, Oklahoma law will govern a contract that would otherwise be controlled by another state s law if the contract is repugnant to Oklahoma s established law or public policy. 25 In order to resolve the question of which place of performance should govern when a contract contemplates multiple places of performance and the parties have not made a choice of law, it is important to first conduct a survey of important cases in Oklahoma s contractual choice-of-law jurisprudence in order to illustrate the aforementioned rules and how they developed. Although the cases appear to be inconsistent, a complete understanding of Oklahoma s contractual choice-of-law jurisprudence helps reconcile the place of making and place of performance rules. Additionally, several deficiencies and unresolved questions from the case law are illuminated. A. Survey of Oklahoma Contractual Choice-of-Law Jurisprudence The current form of title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes has remained completely unchanged since before Oklahoma s statehood. 26 The same cannot be said for the case law. 27 There is confusion noted by commentators 28 and realized by practitioners in this area of law that has continued forward into modern jurisprudence. In the following pages, selected contractual choice-of-law cases will be grouped and discussed according to common themes present in the opinions and by the date in which those cases were decided. clear manifestation of a mutual intention to apply Oklahoma law); see also Webster, supra note 9, at See Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc., 6 n.12, 796 P.2d at 299 n.12 (stating that a choice-oflaw clause may be invalidated if: (a) application of the chosen law is contrary to a fundamental policy of a state with a greater interest in the controversy, and (b) that state s law would govern absent a choice-of-law provision in the contract)(emphasis omitted) (citing RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF CONFLICT OF LAWS 187 (1971)). 25. See Pate v. MFA Mut. Ins. Co., 1982 OK CIV APP 36, 11, 649 P.2d 809, 811 (stating that general rule does not apply if the law of that place is contrary to the law or public policy of the state where enforcement is sought). 26. See STAT. 1890, 864; R.L. 1910, 956; COMP. STAT (1921) ( A contract is to be interpreted according to the law and usage of the place where it is to be performed, or, if it does not indicate a place of performance, according to the law and usage of the place where it is made. ). 27. It is interesting to note the lack of reference to the statutory directive for interpreting contracts until 1926 in Turman Oil Co. v. Sapulpa Refining Co., 1926 OK 747, 5, 254 P. 84, 86 (per curiam) (citing COMP. STAT (1921)). 28. See, e.g., MacDougall, supra note 18, 4:7 ( Oklahoma law is simply confused regarding the choice-of-law theory in contract cases. ).

6 22 OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 64:17 1. The Foundational Cases and the Implied Intent of the Parties According to one Oklahoma commentator, the well-reasoned choice-oflaw rules are those which inquire into the intent of the parties when selecting which law will govern a contract. 29 The first decisions in Oklahoma s choiceof-law jurisprudence support this contention by hinging the selection of a jurisdiction s law on an inquiry into the implied intent of the parties. In 1895, the Supreme Court of the Territory of Oklahoma was faced with the question of which law to apply to a chattel mortgage in the case of Richardson v. Shelby. 30 The question was whether the law of Kansas, where the property was located at the time the chattel mortgage was executed, 31 or the law of Oklahoma, where the property was subsequently moved to, 32 would apply. The court concluded that Kansas law would govern the dispute and set out the following rule: The law is that the rights of the parties to a contract are to be determined by the law as it exists in the state or country where the contract is to be performed. 33 Because the mortgagor was a resident of Kansas and the property being mortgaged was in Kansas at the time, the court inferred that the contract referenced the law of Kansas. 34 The court concluded that by referencing the state of Kansas the parties had indicated that Kansas was the place of performance. 35 While not mentioning the implied intent of the parties expressly, the court s conclusion appears to find that the parties intended for the law of Kansas to govern because of the domicile of the parties and the locus of the land involved. The next installment in the Territorial Court s fledgling contractual choiceof-law jurisprudence came the following year in Jaffrey & Co. v. Wolf. 36 The question in that case revolved around a sale of goods to be shipped from New York to Guthrie and Oklahoma City. 37 The court found that New York s law should be applied because virtually the entire transaction including negotiation, payment and delivery took place there. 38 The court noted that the defendants (buyers) took possession of the goods in New York City and concluded the transaction was completed upon the seller s delivery of the goods to the railroad station. 39 Another rule of law was set out by the court as 29. See Webster, supra note 9, at 385, OK 48, 41 P See id. 3-4, 41 P. at See id. 4, 41 P. at Id. 17, 41 P. at 380 (emphasis added). 34. See id. 35. See id OK 73, 47 P See id. 47, 47 P. at See id. 39. See id.

7 2011] COMMENT 23 follows: [t]he rule is that the place of the contract governs the terms of the contract, and will also govern as to all facts determining the maturity of the amount due. 40 At first glance, the rules from Richardson and Jaffrey may appear to be in conflict with each other. However, the place of the contract language used by the court in Jaffrey does not necessarily mean the place of making. 41 Rather, the place of the contract is a conclusion of which law will govern the contract sometimes the term is used to designate the place of making, and sometimes it is used to reference the place of performance. 42 In Jaffrey, the distinction was moot because the place of performance and the place of making were the same. 43 The court s emphasis on the completion of the sale in New York, however, indicates that it did not intend for this rule to be contrary to its prior pronouncement in Richardson. In 1913, the Supreme Court of Oklahoma continued to apply the law of the place of performance, albeit with a new twist which introduced into Oklahoma s jurisprudence a more rigid rule originating from neither the statute nor previous Oklahoma case decisions. 44 Atchison, T. & S. F. Railway Co. v. Smith was a case involving a free train pass for roundtrip travel between Wellington, Kansas, and Perry, Oklahoma. 45 The pass contained a provision that was signed by the plaintiff disclaiming liability for accidental injury. 46 The plaintiff was injured on the trip and sought damages for personal injury. 47 Kansas law would have invalidated the provision and allowed the plaintiff to recover; Oklahoma law would uphold the agreement s validity. 48 The court concluded the law of Oklahoma should govern the contract for two reasons. 49 First, Oklahoma was the place where the contract was to be principally performed because most of the journey occurred there. 50 Second, Oklahoma law should govern the agreement because the parties were presumed to have intended that their engagement be valid Id. 48, 47 P. at 502 (emphasis added). 41. See id. This illusion of conflict is doubtless spurred by the countless and varied judicial interpretations of lex loci contractus. 42. See Sec. Trust & Savs. Bank v. Gleichmann, 150 P. 908, 911 (Okla. 1915) (per curiam). 43. See Jaffrey, 47-48, 47 P. at See Atchison, T. & S. F. Ry. Co. v. Smith, 1913 OK 162, 132 P See id. 2, 132 P. at See id. 47. Id. 1-2, 132 P. at See id. 3, 8, 132 P. at See id. 8, 132 P. at See id. Wellington is only a short distance north of the Oklahoma border while Perry is over 50 miles south of the state line. Id. 2, 132 P. at See id. 10, 132 P. at 496.

8 24 OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 64:17 In looking to these factors, the court seemed most concerned with the intent of the parties at the time of contracting. 52 Absent this implied intent, the court stated that it would have to resort to the legal fiction that the law of the place where the contract was made should be looked to in order to determine its validity. 53 In fact, the court articulated a rule quite distinct from any used previously in the state: 54 [C]ontracts are to be governed as to their nature, and their validity, and their interpretation, by the laws of the place where they were made, unless the parties when entering into the contract clearly manifest a mutual intention that it shall be governed by the laws of some other state or country. 55 While the ultimate holding did not rest on this rule, the concept that the nature, validity, and interpretation of a contract are to be governed by the place of making has persisted in Oklahoma s case law. 56 In Security Trust & Savings Bank v. Gleichmann, 57 the Oklahoma Supreme Court continued to give effect to the presumed intention of the parties when it determined that two bank notes were to be governed by the laws of Iowa instead of Oklahoma. 58 It also continued to resolve contractual conflict-of-law questions without reference to the statute directing which law should govern. 59 Although there was a factual dispute about where the notes were actually executed, 60 the court largely disregarded this detail and held the implied intent 52. See id. 9-16, 132 P. at See id. 9, 132 P. at In his note as part of the 1965 Conflict of Laws Symposium, Kenneth Webster referred to the place of making approach as the oldest and most rigid view. See Webster, supra note 9, at 385. While this is an accurate statement from the perspective of the country as a whole, it is not so for Oklahoma s jurisprudence. Webster cites only one case predating Atchison, and that case does not apply the place of making rule in the way Webster contemplates. See id. (citing W. Union Tel. Co. v. Pratt, 1907 OK 43, 0, 89 P. 237, 237). Rather, the contract in question in Pratt was stipulated as an Indian Territory contract and the court determined that the laws applicable to Indian Territory at the time the contract was made were incorporated into the contract. See W. Union Tel. Co., 3, 89 P. at Atchison, 8, 132 P. at 496 (citing Liverpool & Great W. Steam Co. v. Phenix Ins. Co., 129 U.S. 397 (1889) (emphasis added)). 56. See, e.g., Bohannan v. Allstate Ins. Co., 1991 OK 64, 17, 820 P.2d 787, 793; Telex Corp. v. Hamilton, 1978 OK 32, 8, 576 P.2d 767, 768; Clark v. First Nat l Bank, 1916 OK 404, 9, 157 P. 96, 98 (per curiam) P. 908 (1915) (per curiam). 58. See id. at See id. at See id. at 909.

9 2011] COMMENT 25 of the parties was for the law of Iowa to govern because the notes were to be performed there. 61 Interestingly, the court held that a contract which is made in one place but is to be performed in another should be governed by the law of the place of performance as to its validity, nature, obligation, and interpretation. 62 This articulation of the rule stands in stark contrast to the rule previously espoused in Atchison. 63 Both holdings focused on the presumed or implied intent of the parties at the time of contracting. However, if the court had applied the rule from Atchison that the place of making governs a contract absent a clear manifestation of mutual intent by the parties that another law governs 64 to the facts in Gleichmann, it would have likely reached a contrary result. At trial, a jury found that the notes were executed in Okarche, Oklahoma, to the Hart-Parr company, as the defendant contended. 65 If the jury also agreed with Gleichmann that the notes were made and delivered in Oklahoma, it is very plausible that they would not have found an implied intention for Iowa law to govern. 66 Applying the Atchison rule, Oklahoma law would have governed the bank notes because it was the place of making See id. at Id.; see also Legg v. Midland Savs. & Loan Co., 1916 OK 46, 3, 154 P. 682, 684 (per curiam) ( [C]ontracts made in one place to be performed in another are governed by the law of the place of performance.... ). 63. Compare Atchison, T. & S. F. Ry. Co. v. Smith, 1913 OK 162, 8, 132 P. 494, 496 ( [C]ontracts are to be governed as to their nature, and their validity, and their interpretation, by the laws of the place where they were made.... ), with Gleichmann, 150 P. at 911 (holding that the bank notes should be governed by the law of the place of performance as to their validity, nature, obligation, and interpretation ). 64. See Atchison, 8, 132 P. at See Gleichmann, 150 P. at This conclusion is inferred from the fact that the jury found in favor of Gleichmann at trial based upon the trial judge s instruction that the notes were an Oklahoma contract if the jury found them to have been executed in Oklahoma. 66. But cf. id. at 908 (stating in the Syllabus by the court that the notes should be governed by the law of Iowa in part because Iowa law would recognize the notes as negotiable). First, this holding only occurs in the Syllabus by the court and does not merit discussion in the actual opinion. Second, it seems that negotiable here does not mean valid but rather implies a sense of transferability after being issued. However, it may be the case that the parties are presumed to have intended the notes to be negotiable, similar to how the parties in Atchison were presumed to intend the exculpatory clause to be valid. 67. This would be true unless the Court were to view the rule in Gleichmann as a means of determining the implied intent of the parties for purposes of the rule articulated in Atchison.

10 26 OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 64:17 2. Clark and Telex Corp.: The Misunderstood Cases The two cases discussed here are often cited by Oklahoma courts for the rule that the nature, validity, and interpretation of a contract are governed by the law of the place where the contract was made. 68 However, while that rule is reflected in these decisions, neither holding rested upon it. Therefore, formalistic application of this place of making rule is misguided. A year after deciding Gleichmann, the Oklahoma Supreme Court entered an opinion in Clark v. First National Bank, 69 which provided for a three-tiered analysis of which law would govern a contract. 70 The court stated: The general rule of law is, that matters bearing upon the execution, interpretation, and the validity of a contract are determined by the law of the place where the contract is made; matters connected with its performance are regulated by the law of the place of performance; matters respecting the remedy depend upon the law of the place where the remedy is sought to be enforced. 71 The court subsequently noted that [t]he first and second rules may be open to some criticism, but the third is universally admitted to be true. 72 At issue in Clark was whether the plaintiff (the bank) pursued the proper remedy in foreclosing on its chattel mortgage. 73 The court ultimately concluded that the bank did pursue an appropriate remedy and dismissed Clark s contention that Illinois law should govern the issue. 74 No discussion was given to the first two tiers of the general rule that the court set out in the opinion, and the holding in no way rested upon them. 75 In fact, as mentioned previously, the court even stated that there is some discrepancy as to their acceptance. 76 Nevertheless, Oklahoma courts have 68. See Bohannan v. Allstate Ins. Co., 1991 OK 64, 17, 820 P.2d 787, 793; see, e.g., Harvell v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 2006 OK 24, 14 n.22, 164 P.3d 1028, n OK 404, 157 P. 96 (per curiam). 70. See id. 9, 157 P. at Id. 72. Id. (internal quotations marks omitted); contra Webster, supra note 9, at (stating that such a contention is definitely incapable of any support from the better-reasoned choice of law theories ). 73. See Clark, 1916 OK 404, 13, 157 P. at See id. 14, 157 P. at 99 (determining that the law of Kansas, where the foreclosure was sought, governed as to whether the foreclosure was appropriate instead of the law of Illinois, where the chattel mortgage was executed). 75. See id. 9-14, 157 P. at See id. 9, 157 P. at 98.

11 2011] COMMENT 27 continued to cite Clark for the proposition that the place of making governs with respect to a contract s nature, validity, and interpretation. 77 After Clark, the Oklahoma Supreme Court temporarily reverted to using the place of performance rule. 78 However, in Telex Corp. v. Hamilton, the Oklahoma Supreme Court revived the rule from Clark. 79 At issue was whether the law of Oklahoma or the law of Florida governed a contract whereby the plaintiff, a resident of Florida, agreed to represent the defendant, a Tulsa corporation, in negotiations with one of its lost debtors. 80 The plaintiff was to receive 25% of any amount collected up to $25, The court first noted that the contract itself provided that Oklahoma law would apply. 82 Furthermore, the contract was entered into in Oklahoma and was to be performed in Oklahoma. 83 Additionally, the court found that Oklahoma law would apply absent a choice-of-law provision in the contract and stated the general rule of law is that the law where the contract is made or entered into governs with respect to its nature, validity, and interpretation. 84 Despite its previous recognition of section 162 in Paclawski v. Bristol Laboratories, Inc., 85 the court decided this choice-of-law question without reference to the statute. 86 However, the outcome would not have been different because, as the court mentioned, the contract was performed in Oklahoma. 87 Additionally, this decision acknowledged that parties can include a choice-of-law provision in their contract 88 and contemplated that a contract provision could be void if violative of Oklahoma s public policy. 89 Telex Corp. is not particularly significant because of its holding nothing in the court s conclusion was inconsistent with its prior precedent. However, 77. See, e.g., Bohannan v. Allstate Ins. Co., 1991 OK 64, 17, 820 P.2d 787, 793; Telex Corp. v. Hamilton, 1978 OK 32, 8, 576 P.2d 767, See, e.g., Collins v. Holland, 1934 OK 404, 15, 34 P.2d 587, 588 (per curiam) ( [T]he law of the place where a contract is to be performed is the law which governs in determining its validity. ). 79. See 1978 OK 32, 8, 576 P.2d at See id. 3, 7, 576 P.2d at See id. 4, 576 P.2d at Id. 7, 576 P.2d at Id. 84. Id. 8, 576 P.2d at 768 (citing Clark v. First Nat l Bank, 157 P. 96, 98 (Okla. 1916) (per curiam)) (emphasis added). 85. See 1967 OK 21, 5, 425 P.2d 452, (per curiam). 86. See generally Telex Corp., 1978 OK 32, 576 P.2d See id. 7, 576 P.2d at See id. 8, 576 P.2d at 768; see also Carmack v. Chem. Bank N.Y. Trust Co., 1975 OK 77, 8, 536 P.2d 897, 899 ( [A] contract may provide the choice of law under which it is to be governed.... ). 89. See Telex Corp., 10, 76 P.2d at

12 28 OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 64:17 the language of the rule articulated in Telex Corp., which was derived from the holding in Clark, is inconsistent with a majority of the court s prior decisions. Subsequent court opinions have cited Telex Corp. as setting the rule that contracts are to be governed by the law of the place of making. 90 A rigid application of this rule is not accurate when considering the court s prior emphasis on the intent of the parties and the place of performance, the facts upon which Telex Corp. was decided, and the plain language of title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoam Statutes. 3. Cases Relying on Section 162 and Emphasizing the Place of Performance Rule In Monahan v. New York Life Insurance Co., 91 the federal district court for the Western District of Oklahoma was tasked with deciding whether several life insurance policies were governed by the laws of New York, where the policies were to be performed, 92 or Arkansas, their place of making. 93 The court first articulated the well established rule that matters bearing on a contract s performance are governed by the law of the place of performance; matters concerning the remedy by the law of the forum; and matters relating to the execution, interpretation, and validity of a contract by the law of the place of making. 94 This rule is identical to the one expressed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in Clark v. First National Bank, 95 although the district court paid no homage to that decision. Instead, the district court utilized the place of performance rule after it recognized that pursuant to the Erie doctrine it must apply the law of the state in which it sits when determining choice-of-law issues. 96 Citing section 5047 of the 1931 Oklahoma Compiled Statutes, 97 the district court concluded that the law of the place of contract, lex loci 90. E.g., Bohannan v. Allstate Ins. Co., 1991 OK 64, 17, 820 P.2d 787, 793; Pate v. MFA Mut. Ins. Co., 1982 OK CIV APP 36, 11, 649 P.2d 809, F. Supp. 859 (W.D. Okla. 1939), aff d, 108 F.2d 841 (10th Cir. 1939). 92. The life insurance policies were to be performed in New York because they were made payable, on their face, at the insurance company s home office in New York, New York. See id. at Id. 94. Id. 95. See 1916 OK 404, 9, 157 P. 96, 98 (per curiam). 96. See Monahan, 26 F. Supp. at Compare id., with 15 OKLA. STAT. 162 (2001). Both the 1931 and 2001 version state: A contract is to be interpreted according to the law and usage of the place where it is to be performed, or, if it does not indicate a place of performance, according to the law and usage of the place where it is made. See 15 OKLA. STAT. 162; COMP. STAT (1931).

13 2011] COMMENT 29 contractus, must yield to the law of the place of performance, although it may be contrary to the established principles of common law and usage. 98 Although one Oklahoma court had cited the statute previously, 99 Monahan is the first time any court undertook a choice-of-law analysis using the text of Oklahoma s choice-of-law statute. 100 In making its choice-of-law determination, the district court only referenced the statute and disregarded Oklahoma s case law. 101 In 1944, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit likewise applied title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes 102 to a dispute over a crop-share lease executed in Arkansas where the leased land was located in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. 103 In McCraw v. Simpson, the court determined Oklahoma law should govern the crop-share lease because the land was located in Oklahoma and, therefore, the lease was to be performed in Oklahoma. 104 Additionally, the court noted that such an outcome is not inconsistent with Oklahoma case law, 105 something the district court in Monahan neglected to do. Similar to Monahan, however, there is no mention of the three-tiered rule from Clark v. First National Bank or the cases citing it Monahan, 26 F. Supp. at 862. But see Consol. Flour Mills Co. v. File Bros. Wholesale Co., 110 F.2d 926, (10th Cir. 1940) (citing, inter alia, Clark, 9, 157 P. at 98, for the rule that a contract s nature, validity, and interpretation are governed by the law of the place of its making unless it appears that the parties intended to be bound by the law of another place). Despite using the Clark rule, this decision is not out of line with the Oklahoma statute because the flour was to be manufactured in the state of Kansas and the contract s express terms provided that delivery of the flour to the carrier would constitute delivery to the File brothers; therefore, performance was to occur in Kansas. See id. at See Turman Oil Co. v. Sapulpa Refining Co., 1926 OK 747, 13, 254 P. 84, 87 (per curiam) (citing COMP. STAT (1921) for the rule that a contract is to be interpreted [by] the law and usage of the place where it is to be performed. ). Section 5049 of the 1921 compiled statutes is identical in language to the form of 15 OKLA. STAT Compare COMP. STAT (1921), with 15 OKLA. STAT. 162 (2001). However, in Turman Oil Co. the statute was not used in a choice-of-law context but rather was cited as an interpretive device with emphasis on the word usage. See Turman Oil Co., 13, 254 P. at See Monahan, 26 F. Supp. at See id. (discussing a case from the federal district court for the Southern District of California which applied an identical statute and reached the same conclusion) OKLA. STAT. 162 (1941). The 1941 main volume is the first volume of statutes utilizing the title-and-section designation See McCraw v. Simpson, 141 F.2d 789, 790 (10th Cir. 1944) Id Id. (citing, inter alia, Sec. Trust & Savs. Bank v. Gleichmann, 150 P. 908 (1915) (per curiam)) Compare id., with Consol. Flour Mills v. File Bros. Wholesale Co., 110 F.2d 926, 929 (10th Cir. 1940) (applying the rule from Clark v. First Nat l Bank, 1916 OK 404, 157 P. 96 (per

14 30 OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 64:17 It is worth noting that up until the late 1960s, there were no Oklahoma state court decisions which rested upon, or even mentioned, the choice-of-law statute when deciding a choice-of-law issue. The two cases discussed immediately above were both decided by federal courts applying Oklahoma law. However, this state of affairs changed in 1967 when the Oklahoma Supreme Court entered its decision in Paclawski v. Bristol Laboratories, Inc. 107 In Paclawski, the contract in question was a settlement agreement on an underlying tort claim against the developer of a prescription drug, among other defendants. 108 There was no dispute between the parties that Arkansas law governed the contract, but the court took the time to mention that the contract was executed and performed in Arkansas and cited, inter alia, title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes. 109 In 1990, the Oklahoma Supreme Court decided a case of significant importance to the thesis of this comment because the case involved a contract which indicated two places of performance. 110 In Panama Processes v. Cities Service Co., the court was faced with determining whether New York or Brazilian law applied to an agreement between a minority shareholder (plaintiff) and the majority shareholder (defendant) of a Brazilian corporation. 111 The contract in question was a letter of agreement negotiated and signed in New York which provided the plaintiff with assurances from the defendant concerning the future operational policies of the Brazilian corporation, including the payment of dividends. 112 Justice Opala, writing for the majority, conducted a two-tiered choice-oflaw analysis finding that Brazilian law should govern the agreement. 113 The first tier of the analysis was grounded upon the text of title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes whereby the law of the place of making would govern curiam), to a contract for the purchase of flour) OK 21, 425 P.2d 452 (per curiam) See id. 1-2, 425 P.2d at See id. 5, 425 P.2d at It is unclear from the opinion what constitutes performance in a settlement agreement, but it stands to reason that performance and execution are one and the same because there is a giving-up of the rights to a lawsuit in exchange for money. However, it may be the case that if the agreement had designated a different location as the place of payment of the settlement money, then that location might be considered the place of performance See Panama Processess v. Cities Serv. Co., 1990 OK 66, 27, 796 P.2d 276, The only other Oklahoma case that chooses one place of performance over another is Atchison, T. & S. F. Ry. Co. v. Smith. See 1913 OK 162, 8, 132 P. 494, See 1990 OK 66, 2, 796 P.2d at Id. 2, 796 P.2d at See id. 1, 726 P.2d at 276.

15 2011] COMMENT 31 only if there was no indication in the contract where performance was to occur. 114 Justice Opala was very critical of the notion that section 162 was an embodiment of the common law rule of lex loci contractus, and instead emphasized that lex loci solutionis, the law of the place of performance, was the default rule in Oklahoma. 115 The court concluded that the letter agreement did indicate that the contract was to be performed in major part in Brazil because the corporation s future expansion and dividend distribution had to occur in Brazil and the agreement was by its own terms subject to the business climate in Brazil. 116 The court noted, however, that some performance under the agreement had to occur in New York because New York was defendant s principal place of business and decisions concerning the agreement would be made at that place. 117 These decisions were considered insignificant when compared with the performance which had to occur in Brazil because the agreement indicated that the parties intended for the law of Brazil to govern the validity and enforcement of the contract. 118 Significant to the court s opinion here was not only the emphasis on the text of title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes, but also the conclusion that the parties intended for Brazil law to govern. 119 The second tier of the court s analysis was to determine which place had the most significant relationship to the parties and the transaction. 120 The court concluded that Brazil had the most significant relationship to the transaction because of the agreement s conflict with Brazilian law. 121 However, before conducting its analysis the court noted that it was not expressing an opinion on whether the most significant relationship test should apply; rather, it just concluded that even if it did, Brazil law would still govern the letter agreement. 122 A detailed examination of the court s analysis here is unwarranted because the court entered a later opinion which explicitly held 114. See id. 26, 796 P.2d at See id.; contra Rhody v. State Farm Mut. Ins. Co., 771 F.2d 1417, 1420 n.5 (10th Cir. 1985); Webster, supra note 9, at 385 (stating that Oklahoma s place of making and place of performance rules are embodied in section 162) See Panama Processess v. Cities Serv. Co., 1990 OK 66, 27, 796 P.2d 276, See id See id See id. This was the first inquiry by an Oklahoma state court into the implied intent of the parities since Security Trust & Savings Bank v. Gleichmann. See 150 P. 908 (1915) (per curiam) See Panama Processes, 28, 796 P.2d at Id. 30 n.52, 796 P.2d at 288 n.52 (citing RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF CONFLICT OF LAWS 188(2) cmt. e (1971)) See id. 28 n.50, 796 P.2d at 288 n.50.

16 32 OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 64:17 that the most significant relationship test does not apply to general contract choice-of-law disputes Motor Vehicle Insurance Contracts and the Bohannan Exception Motor Vehicle Insurance contracts present unique choice-of-law difficulties because of the mobility of automobiles and the varying legislation of the several states. 124 As a result, the Oklahoma Supreme Court has established a choice-of-law rule specifically applicable to these contracts. 125 This rule applies the law of the place where the contract was made unless: 1) Provisions of the contract are contrary to Oklahoma public policy, or 2) Another jurisdiction is demonstrated to have the most significant relationship with the subject matter and the parties. 126 Most of the motor vehicle insurance cases following Bohannan v. Allstate Insurance Co., where this exception was established, have focused on the scope and operation of the public policy exception. 127 This comment does not engage in an analysis of motor vehicle insurance cases following Bohannan because their choice-of-law questions are resolved by the aforementioned exception. However, the two cases leading up to the Bohannan decision are useful because they fell within the purview of the general rule embodied in title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes at the time they were decided. 128 Additionally, Bohannan helps to identify choiceof-law questions left unresolved by the Oklahoma courts and is otherwise seminal to Oklahoma s choice-of-law jurisprudence; therefore, a comment on these rules would be incomplete without including a brief discussion on Bohannan. 129 In 1982, the Oklahoma Court of Appeals was tasked with determining whether an automobile insurance policy which contained a subrogation clause was governed by the law of Oklahoma or Arkansas. 130 In Pate v. MFA Mutual Insurance Co., the plaintiff/insured was a resident of Arkansas who had obtained an automobile insurance policy in that state. 131 Plaintiff and his 123. See Harvell v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 2006 OK 24, 14, 164 P.3d 1028, See Bohannan v. Allstate Ins. Co., 1991 OK 64, 25, 820 P.2d 787, See id. 30, 820 P.2d at Id See, e.g., Burgess v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 2003 OK CIV APP 85, 6-13, 16-18, 77 P.3d 612, See generally Pate v. MFA Mut. Ins. Co., 1982 OK CIV APP 36, 649 P.2d 809; Rhody v. State Farm Mut. Ins. Co., 771 F.2d 1416 (10th Cir. 1985) See generally Bohannan, 1991 OK 64, 820 P.2d See Pate, 9-10, 649 P.2d at See id. 2, 649 P.2d at 810.

17 2011] COMMENT 33 family were involved in an accident on Interstate 35 near Davis, Oklahoma, and brought this suit to recover approximately $4,000 from his insurance company (defendant) subsequent to settling with the third-party tortfeasor. 132 The defendant refused payment based upon a provision in the policy that provided the insurer with a right of reimbursement or set-off equal to any amount recovered from third parties. 133 The set-off provision was valid under Arkansas law; however, Oklahoma had a statute invalidating all such provisions which are effective in this state. 134 The precise issue before the court was whether the set-off provision was contrary to Oklahoma public policy in a way sufficient to justify the application of Oklahoma law to a contract that would otherwise be governed by the law of Arkansas. 135 In reaching its decision, the court of appeals cited Telex Corp. v. Hamilton 136 and Clark v. First National Bank 137 for the rule that a contract will be governed by the laws of the state where it was made unless either agreed to by the parties or contrary to the law or public policy of the state where enforcement of the contract is attempted. 138 The court concluded that the Oklahoma legislature intended for the subrogation limitation statute to apply to all vehicles traveling on Oklahoma highways; therefore, the provision in the insurance policy violated Oklahoma law and was deemed invalid. 139 In conducting its analysis in Pate, the court of appeals made no reference to the statutory directive in title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes, and it avoided an inquiry into the place where the insurance policy was to be performed. 140 Performance for an automobile insurance policy might be considered the place where the premiums or benefits are paid. 141 However, it 132. See id. 3-5, 649 P.2d at See id. 6, 649 P.2d at See id. 7, 649 P.2d at (citing 36 OKLA. STAT (1981)) See id. 8, 11-14, 649 P.2d at OK 32, 576 P.2d OK 404, 157 P. 96 (per curiam) Pate, 11, 649 P.2d at 811. Additionally, the court noted the RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF CONFLICT OF LAWS (1971) and set out section 6, but it did not engage in any analysis dependent upon that section or inquire which place had the most significant relationship to the dispute. See generally id , 649 P.2d at Pate, 14-15, 649 P.2d at 812 (relying in part on RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF CONFLICT OF LAWS 6 cmt. b (1971)) See id , 649 P.2d at It is interesting to note that the court quoted RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF CONFLICT OF LAWS 6 comment a, stating: The court must apply a local statutory provision directed to choice of law provided that it would be constitutional to do so. Id. 13, 649 P.2d at 811. Despite this language in the comment, the court neglected to make any reference to Oklahoma s statutory directive. See id Cf. Rhody v. State Farm Mut. Ins. Co., 771 F.2d 1416, 1420 (10th Cir. 1985) ( In the

18 34 OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 64:17 may also be the case under Oklahoma law that the parties to such a policy do not contemplate a place of performance when entering into the agreement; or that they have not indicated one within the meaning of section 162 without an express designation. 142 In Rhody v. State Farm Mutual Insurance Co., the Tenth Circuit was tasked with applying Oklahoma s choice-of-law rules to an automobile insurance policy. 143 The plaintiffs/insured were residents of Texas and held a Texas insurance policy that covered three vehicles. 144 One of the covered vehicles was garaged in Oklahoma by their son, an Oklahoma resident. 145 This vehicle was involved in an accident in Oklahoma with an uninsured Oklahoma driver. 146 This dispute arose when the plaintiffs tried to claim that Oklahoma law governed the contract and entitled them to stack the uninsured/underinsured motorist (hereinafter UM ) coverage for each of their three vehicles for total recovery of $30,000 from the defendant insurer. 147 Defendant maintained that Texas law applied because the policy was executed there; Texas did not stack UM benefits and recovery would be limited to $10, Two choice-of-law issues were presented to the Tenth Circuit for determination in this case. 149 The first was whether Oklahoma was trending away from the lex loci contractus rule in favor of the more modern most significant relationship test. 150 The Tenth Circuit deferred to the district context of insurance policies, we have held that the specification of a place for payment of premiums and benefits under the policy signifies the parties designation of that location as the place of performance of the contract. ). While Rhody looked to payment of benefits and premiums to determine place of performance, there is no reason that each could not independently suffice as a place of performance. The contract could then specify multiple places of performance, and conflicts would be resolved according to the proposal made later in this article See infra Part IID for discussion regarding the possible constructions of the term interpretation in section F.2d 1416, 1417 (10th Cir. 1985) See id See id See id See id. at See id. at See id. at Id. at Plaintiffs argued that the Oklahoma Supreme Court s adoption of the most significant relationship test for tort conflict-of-laws determinations in Brickner v. Gooden, 1974 OK 91, 525 P.2d 632, coupled with the court of appeal s decision to apply the same test to disputes under the U.C.C in Collins Radio Co. v. Bell, 1980 OK CIV APP 57, 623 P.2d 1039, demonstrated a shift toward applying the most significant relationship test to all choice-of-law disputes. See Rhody, 771 F.2d at 1418.

19 2011] COMMENT 35 court s determination that Oklahoma had not adopted the most significant relationship test for general contract disputes. 151 The second issue before the Court of Appeals was whether the insurance policy indicated a place of performance sufficient to preempt the application of the law of the place of making. 152 The court concluded that Texas law applied because there was no indication in the contract of where performance was to occur, nor was there any indication, express or implied, that the parties intended for a certain law to govern. 153 In reaching this conclusion, the court rejected the plaintiffs contention that the place of performance for the policy was the place where the liability of the uninsured motorist is determined. 154 The Tenth Circuit recognized both the existence of title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes and Oklahoma s varied case law applying both the place of performance and place of making rules. 155 However, the court indicated that the case law was mostly consistent with the statute despite not appearing to utilize it. 156 Bohannan v. Allstate Insurance Co. 157 changed Oklahoma s choice-of-law landscape significantly. The Oklahoma Supreme Court answered a certified question from the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. 158 The precise issue was whether a California automobile insurance contract that allowed the insurer to subtract from its UM liability the amount received by the insured from third-party tortfeasors was governed by the law of California or Oklahoma when Oklahoma was the place enforcement was sought and had a statute which expressly provided that UM coverage was not to be subrogated by recovery of other UM money. 159 The court held that the California contract must be consistent with the public policy of Oklahoma and, therefore, the subrogation provision was unenforceable to the extent that it allowed the insurer a set-off against UM coverage that was purchased pursuant to an Oklahoma policy See id. at See id. at See id. at Id. at (relying on Kemp v. Allstate Ins. Co., 601 P.2d 20 (Mont. 1979), which interpreted an identical statute and concluded that the insurance company had contemplated performance in any state) See id. at 1418, See id. at 1420 n.5 ( While many Oklahoma cases do not appear to rest directly on the statute, the majority follow the rule it embodies. ) OK 64, 820 P.2d See id. 6, 820 P.2d at See id. 7, 12, 820 P.2d at (citing 36 OKLA. STAT (1981)) See id. 31, 820 P.2d at 797. But see Burgess v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 2003 OK CIV APP 85, 13, 77 P.3d 612, 614 (holding that the anti-stacking provision of two Kansas

20 36 OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 64:17 Based on earlier Oklahoma decisions providing for a public policy exception to the general rule, 161 this outcome is not surprising. However, the significance of the decision stems from the rule articulated by the court: The validity, interpretation, application and effect of the provisions of a motor vehicle insurance contract should be determined in accordance with the laws of the state in which the contract was made, unless those provisions are contrary to the public policy of Oklahoma, or unless the facts demonstrate that another jurisdiction has the most significant relationship with the subject matter and the parties. 162 The court cited Telex Corp. v. Hamilton and Clark v. First National Bank for the general rule 163 and acknowledged title 15, section 162 of the Oklahoma Statutes as the statutory source of the lex loci contractus and the lex loci solutionis rules [that] remain a part of our law in ordinary contract cases. 164 However, the court noted that motor vehicle insurance contracts are in a class by themselves and concluded that the established rule does not allow for sufficient consideration to be given to the statutes and public policies of the several states. 165 Therefore, the court concluded, the Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws most significant relationship test should be available. 166 It is interesting that the court expanded its choice-of-law rule in Bohannan when it seems to have been able to reach the same result without incorporating policies could not violate Oklahoma public policy because there was no Oklahoma policy implicated); Herren v. Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co., 2001 OK CIV APP 82, 17, 26 P.3d 120, 123 (holding that Bohannan did not invalidate provisions in an insurance policy that subrogated UM coverage; there was no Oklahoma policy involved). These two court of appeals cases demonstrate that Oklahoma courts will not allow a plaintiff covered only by foreign insurance policies to use Oklahoma s public policy to get more than they have contracted for. Rather, the Bohannan decision was meant to protect injured plaintiffs who were covered by an Oklahoma policy from having coverage that they contracted for under Oklahoma law subrogated by a foreign insurance contract See Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. v. Shear, 1990 OK 67, 6, 796 P.2d 296, 299; Legg v. Midland Savs. & Loan Co., 1916 OK 46, 3, 154 P. 682, 684 (per curiam); Pate v. MFA Mut. Ins., 1982 OK CIV APP 36, 11, 649 P.2d 808, Bohannan, 30, 820 P.2d at 797 (emphasis added) See id. 17, 820 P.2d at See id. 24, 820 P.2d at See id. 25, 820 P.2d at See id. 30, 820 P.2d at 797; see also id. 27 n.5, 820 P.2d at 796 n.5 ( [T]he most significant relationship test should be available where the facts demonstrate that the lex loci contractus rule is insufficient to protect the fundamental law of the forum and the rights of the parties. ).

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